Survey study, 2021
Do ovarian hormones affect how worry impacts working memory?
Yes. Higher worry was linked to worse working memory performance, especially when estradiol or progesterone levels were high.
What they did
Studied 97 naturally cycling women who attended lab sessions four times during their menstrual cycles. Measured worry levels, working memory performance on difficult tasks, and estradiol and progesterone hormone levels.
What they found
Higher worry was linked to lower accuracy on difficult working memory tasks when estradiol levels were high. The same pattern appeared when progesterone levels were high. This suggests that menstrual cycle hormones may change how worry affects memory and thinking.
What it means for you
Hormones in the menstrual cycle may influence how worry affects memory and thinking ability. When hormone levels are high, worry seems to have a stronger negative effect on working memory. This is a small study, so findings need confirmation in larger groups.
97
Women studied
4
Lab sessions
small
Study limitation
About the study
- Original title
- Examining the role of ovarian hormones in the association between worry and working memory across the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Gloe LM, Kashy DA, Jacobs EG et al.
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None—observational study
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105285
Topics
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